Running head: WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT 1

Windshield Assessment

Erika Bell, Courtney McComas, and Dane Woodward

Westminster College of Nursing

WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT 2

Community assessments are a great way to identify and anticipate potential problems that

may arise in a given area. Healthcare providers can greatly benefit from this. Obtaining data and

statistics can provide useful insight regarding community health needs. This data can be used to

identify important trends, determine any potential risks, and increase overall public health. We

used information from the course textbook, Foundations of Nursing in the Community, to

conduct this Windshield Assessment (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014, p. 220).

The area we chose for this assessment is the town of Murray, Utah. We chose Murray

because a few of our group members live here. We also felt that Murray is unique because of its

central location in the Salt Lake Valley. Murray’s boundaries are roughly triangular with the

northern tip, nearly reaching 3900 S along I-15. The boundary extends south and west and stops

at 6500 S and 1300 W. From here it reaches east along I-215 and stops at Highland Dr.

For the windshield assessment portion of this assignment we focused on an area from

roughly 700 W to 900 E and 6500 S to 5300 S. Some of our preconceived notions were that the

area has a large elderly population and that residential areas in Murray have mostly remained

unchanged since they were first developed.

One potential bias is that some members of our group live in Murray. Although we

recognize this might create potential prejudice, we also believe it could be beneficial to our

analysis. Living in a city gives awareness that might not be gained otherwise. However, we will

be mindful of this while continuing our survey.

East of State Street, most of the residential areas are made up of small homes that appear

to have been built in the 1950s. They are mostly made of brick and are only one story tall. These

neighborhoods quickly transformed as the city expanded. While many of these homes are 50+

years old, they appear to be in good condition.

WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT 3

There are two main streets for shopping: State Street and 900 E. State Street has many car

dealerships and a mall, while 900 E has grocery stores, fast food restaurants, convenience stores,

etc. There are no liquor stores in this area, which isn’t surprising since Utah has relatively few.

We counted six parks that consisted of grassy fields to simple playgrounds to the

expansive Murray Park and Recreation center. They were all well maintained and most were

occupied by women and children. There are nearly two-dozen churches in Murray. The vast

majority were LDS churches, though we saw a few other denominations represented.

Most people drive their own vehicles, though residents of Murray can also make use of

public transportation. There are two Trax stops in Murray which transport passengers around the

Salt Lake valley, a Frontrunner station which stops from Utah County to Weber County, and

public buses which make their routes in and out of the city.

When analyzing Murray’s population demographics, we found the median age of citizens

in Murray is approximately 35 years old. The socioeconomic status in this area averages from

middle to upper-middle class.

The median price of homes in Murray in 2013 was $224,559, which is significantly

higher than the average price of a home in 2000, $151,200 (City-Data, 2016). The cost of

construction has severely increased over the years. In 2014, Murray City approved the

construction of 61 buildings, averaging $387,700 per building. In 2004, Murray City approved

118 buildings at an average cost of $217,100. We believe the change in price occurred because

Murray has a growing population with limited building space.

There are many facilities available to serve Murray citizens’ mental health needs,

including 7 hospitals, 9 home health centers, and 2 nursing homes (City-Data, n.d.). These
WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT 4

resources can be vital to residents. The mental health facilities we will focus on are Valley

Mental Health, Family Counseling Center, and Utah Healing Center.

Valley Mental Health opened its doors to behavioral health in 2010. While researching

we found patients were not getting adequate amounts of care based on bed availability and

proper staffing (IASIS Healthcare, n.d.). The Family Counseling Center provides affordable

behavioral health services. This is the only agency whose mission is based on assisting patients

who are considered low income or uninsured. The Family Counseling Center offers its services

based on a sliding fee scale that is determined from the patient’s annual income (Family

Counseling Center of Utah, n.d.). The Utah Health Center is a “new outpatient mental healing

treatment facility.” This facility focuses on different treatments ranging from holistic healing to

other therapeutic treatments. The Utah Health Center has a family centered focus but also assists

children, adolescents, and adults (Utah Healing Center, n.d.).

According to Dr. Shubhangi R. Parkar, “With the increase in the elderly population,

health status of the elderly has gained lots of importance. However, neither institutional nor

community care has provided an adequate solution to the problems of old age. Though

community care is preferred over institutionalization, lack of funding acts as a major hindrance”

(Parkar, 2015, p. 96). According to population demographics, the city of Murray will experience

exponential growth of the elderly population in the coming years (Murray City Council, 2003a,

p. 4). Because people are aware of this information, they can begin to plan ahead for the future,

and the city is in the process of implementing plans to accommodate this increase. Specifically,

they are assuring that several types of medical services are available to the elderly by creating

additional residential facilities.

WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT 5

Overall, the Murray community seems to be improving. Recent developments in the city

include job creation and retention, revitalization of existing architecture, and creation of new

economic infrastructure. The city of Murray has a “General Plan,” which is used to aid in

decisions about development proposals that will influence the future. Their current plan is

anticipated to account for community changes for the next five to ten years. This plan will then

be reassessed and a new plan will be made. When creating the general plan, a board assesses the

current community to decide what improvements need to be made. The plan is then developed

with these needs in mind. The general plan addresses areas such as land use, urban design,

transportation, parks and recreation, economic development, and housing (Murray City Council,

2003c, p. 6).

The city of Murray has created several economic development goals they hope to

achieve. One important goal is to identify specific areas of the city they consider

‘underdeveloped’ and target economic development there. They also hope to preserve existing

business in Murray (Murray City Council, 2003a, p. 3-4). If achieved, both goals ensure the

future’s economic stability and growth.

There are several housing needs that the council has identified. One highlighted issue is

that housing in Murray is becoming less affordable as time goes on. In response, the city has

implemented plans to increase the amount of affordable housing in the city by increasing

homeownership and rental options for moderate to low-income families (Murray City Council,

2003b, p. 15). This information is good for nurses to keep in mind when interacting with

patients. Nurses could have specific resources readily available for patients who may be

homeless or struggling with finances.

WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT 6

Transportation issues seem to be a top priority for Murray city, and they’re taking action

to increase the function of public and mass transit (Murray City Council, 2003d,p. 7-8). This

information is important for nurses to consider, because if transportation becomes too much of

an issue for people, they may be less likely to seek treatment. At this point, community outreach

may be necessary.

Community assessments and analysis of data can be very helpful when it comes to

healthcare as a whole. Specifically, this information can be very valuable to nurses. By being

aware of current population trends, nurses can anticipate future needs for the population, which

in turn can provide more effective patient care. Being able to plan ahead can save time, money,

and even lives.

WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT 7

References

City-Data. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://www.city-data.com/city/Murray-

Utah.html

Family Counseling Center of Utah. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from

http://www.familycounselingcenterutah.com/history/

IASIS Healthcare. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from

http://www.jvbehavioralhealth.com/about/

Murray City Council. (2003a, June). Economic development. Retrieved October 8, 2016, from

http://www.murray.utah.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/106

Murray City Council. (2003b, June). Housing. Retrieved October 8, 2016, from

http://www.murray.utah.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/109

Murray City Council. (2003c, June). Introduction and background. Retrieved October 8, 2016,

from http://www.murray.utah.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/110

Murray City Council. (2003d, June). Transportation. Retrieved October 8, 2016, from

http://www.murray.utah.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/113

Parkar, S. R. (2015). Elderly Mental Health: Needs. Mens Sana Monographs 13(1), 91-99

http://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1229.153311

Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2014). Foundations of nursing in the community (Fourth ed.). St.

Louis, MI: Elsevier.

Utah Healing Center. (n.d.) Retrieved October 11, 2016, from https://utahhealingcenter.org/